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DEAR JOAN: Last night, with the front door open to let in evening air, the porch light went on — and on the fence opposite was a young cub, kit or pup. We thought it was a fox — small, not much larger than our cats.
We haven’t seen healthy foxes around here for a long time, although they used to be constant visitors. But there have been many reports recently on NextDoor about coyotes close to us and El Cerrito High School, which is not that far off.
This pup did not have any white on its tail, which we associate with foxes. Do they acquire the white tail tip when older? This was a very healthy looking, soft brown bushy-tailed animal, and very sure-footed, walking along the top of the fence. Was it a fox or coyote?
Quite an evening for wildlife. At dusk, we had a hawk on the phone pole outside. It was probably one of the red-tailed hawks from up in the old quarry behind us, obviously looking for supper!
Thanks for whatever information you can give us on the fox or coyote question.
Roy and Joanna, El Cerrito
DEAR ROY AND JOANNA: I’m envious of all the wildlife you have around you.
It can be difficult to distinguish between foxes and coyotes, but there are some characteristics that can help you.
The two most common foxes we have around here are the red fox (non-native) and the gray fox (native). As red foxes can sometimes appear gray, and gray foxes can have a lot of red around their necks and heads, most of the time you can tell the difference between the two by the stockings on their legs and color of their tails.
The red fox has black stockings, or legs, and a white-tipped tail. Their tails will get more magnificent and their coloration more distinct as they age. Red foxes of any age will have white-tipped tails and their faces appear more doglike.
The gray fox has a black-tipped tail and doesn’t have leg “stockings.” You should be able to see a black stripe running down its back and extending down the tail. The gray fox has a more catlike face.
We can tell the difference between foxes and coyote mostly by size. Coyotes are more than twice the size of a fox, which usually is not much larger than a healthy house cat. Coyotes look like dogs, from the shape and size of their snouts to the thickness of the neck and body. They also are much taller than a fox.
A young coyote pup is not likely to be on your fence top. They can climb, and the adults are excellent climbers and jumpers, but they rarely hang out on fence tops.
On the other hand, foxes have almost catlike abilities to climb, and they often can be seen on fences.
My guess is that you had a gray fox visiting.
DEAR JOAN: I saw the letter about an animal nibbling on roses and I think it is deer.
Their scat looks like rabbit pellets, but it is a much larger pile. When I first saw it, I thought that this is must be the biggest rabbit ever. I have seen the deer in my yard nibbling the new rose growth, buds and leaves. I live near a walking trail and two creeks. The creeks are the trails the animals use to make their hunting rounds.
Zoe Jones, Bay Area
DEAR ZOE: Yes, if the writer lives in an area with deer, that could be the cause of the nibbling.